1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fence construction in general, and more precisely to improved construction of fence post bracing members, and a method of use thereof in a section of fence.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Large tracts of land are often fenced in with metal posts and individual strands of wire such as barbed wire, or with hog or chicken wire fencing. Fencing using metal posts is quick to install, can be accomplished by one or two persons, and is relatively inexpensive and durable. The most common and cost effective metal posts used for individual stranded wire fencing are referred to as "t-bar" posts or simply "T-posts", which are available in a variety of lengths. T-posts may be driven into the ground with a sledge hammer or fence post driver, unlike wooden posts or round metal posts which require a post receiving hole to be dug into the ground in which to set the post. Each typical T-post has a flat vertical face having a series of projections or lugs which help to secure individual strands of wire in place. Normally, horizontally disposed individual strands of wire such as barbed wire, are placed at spaced intervals extending along a row of T-posts. The wire strands are stretched tight, and fastened to each post with available snap-on wire clips or tied in place with short lengths of wire. The snap-on clips retain the wire against the T-posts, and the projecting lugs on the T-posts rest underneath each wire to prevent the wire from sliding downward. Often, leverage type mechanical wire stretchers are utilized to initially stretch the wire to a proper tension. With wire fencing, it is important to maintain the individual wire strands stretched tight in order to maintain the proper spacing between the strands of wire. If the strands of wire become loose, and the proper spacing between the strands is lost, animals such as cattle contained within the fence may be able to crawl between the wires and escape. Some factors which allow the individual wires of a fence to become loose, include the posts bending, the posts moving in the ground due to the tension of the wires, and often animals such as cattle or horses pushing against the fence to reach the greener grass on the other side, apply such pressure on the wires that the nearby posts in the fence bend or move toward the point of applied pressure.
In order to allow the proper initial tightening of the strands of wire, and to maintain the wire stretched tight after installation, post bracing is utilized. Post bracing is utilized at about 200 foot intervals in straight rows of wire fencing, at corners in the fence, and at the end of a fence such as in cross-fencing. Post bracing reinforces the entire fence for a substantial distance on either side of the braced posts.
When using T-post for fencing, due to a lack of other suitably structured and cost effective bracing members available on the market for bracing T-posts, generally, two vertical wooden posts are used at the 200 foot intervals to allow the bracing of the two vertical posts with wooden diagonal or horizontal bracing extending from one wooden post to the other, coupled with tightly strung diagonal wires or straps between the two vertical wooden posts. Wooden post are also installed in otherwise all metal fencing arrangement at corners, again to enable proper bracing of the posts. Typically in the corners of T-post wire fencing arrangements, three vertical wooden posts are used, with wooden bracing members and diagonal wire straps extending between the vertical posts. The wooden bracing members and diagonal straps distribute the stresses applied to the fence posts, thereby stabilizing and reinforcing the posts, and assisting in maintaining the proper tension on the wire of the fence.
Metal T-posts will eventually rust or rot off at the ground line necessitating replacement thereof, as will wooden posts. However, in a fencing arrangement primarily comprised of metal, that is, metal wire and metal T-posts, but which includes wooden posts at spaced intervals in the straight runs and at the fence corners installed to allow post bracing, replacement of the wooden posts will be necessary several times before that of the metal T-posts or wire fencing. The replacement of fence posts is somewhat labor intensive, and therefore is costly. Often a metal T-post will last as long as 40 years, whereas a wooden post may only last 10 years before needing replacement. It is a fairly widely accepted theory that it is more economical to install fencing of which all components of the fence have an approximate equal and long rated useful life. By all components of the fence having the approximate equal rated useful life, maintenance cost may be dramatically reduced, the savings being primarily in labor costs.
Furthermore, wooden posts have been in the past, and are today almost always treated with chemical preservatives to add to the useful life of the post, and this with only limited success. Some of the older wood preservatives once thought safe, have recently been determined to be unsafe, and have been pulled from the market, being listed now as hazardous materials. Many people feel the currently used and approved wood preservatives may not be safe for human contact or the environment either.
Although a variety of different fencing systems and components have been developed over the years, some of which include teachings of metal fence post bracing members and the use thereof, no related prior art is seen to provide all of the advantages of the invention of this disclosure.